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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28391454">Too Little, Too Late</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan'>ericsonclan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted AU [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:01:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,401</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28391454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Renata has been captured. Minnie and some of the other assassins run to her aid... but will they get there in time?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James (Walking Dead: Suffer The Children) &amp; Minnie (Walking Dead: Done Running), Renata/Minnie (Walking Dead: Done Running)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted AU [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730554</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Too Little, Too Late</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>(by Laura)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Minnie’s lungs were burning as she sprinted through the city streets in the dead of night, desperate to move faster. The Templars had found Renata. That much was clear from the message Jesse had been able to get to them. Was he trapped there as well… or worse? No, she couldn’t dwell on uncertainties right now. All she could do was keep running. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bodies littered her path along the roofs and gables of the city. Sophie was ahead of her, clearing her path, ensuring that Minnie wouldn’t have to break the vow she’d made to James not to kill. The other assassins were converging upon the bakery as well. To think that all of them had been brought here to stop this very thing from happening and had failed. Now Renata would pay the price for their own shortcomings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was almost there. Leaping down from the roof of the final building, Minnie reached the bakery. There was no time for subtlety now. She needed to get inside. Running forward, Minnie threw her entire weight against the door, bringing it crashing open. The sight before her sent a dagger through her heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A Templar had a knife pressed to Renata’s throat. The blade was already wet with her blood, a steady trickle coming from her right hand which was missing two fingers. Renata’s face was swollen and bruised as she looked at Minnie, her eyes filled with a mixture of terror and hope. The flower she usually wore in her hair lay crushed underfoot, smeared with the blood of the struggle Minnie had arrived too late to prevent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minnie locked eyes with the Templar. A murderous rage rose deep within her. She didn’t give a fuck about her vow. This man would die for what he had done. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sensing her intent, the Templar turned his blade, the edge cutting deeper into Renata’s flesh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Minnie…” Renata’s voice caught in her throat, the fear petrifying her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minnie froze. She was too far away to take him down safely, not without risking Renata’s life. What could she do?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A gunshot echoed through the street outside. Eyes widening in panic, the Templar raised his blade, slashing across Renata’s throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A primal wail left Minnie’s throat. Running forward, she barely registered her enemy escaping past her. She had to get to Renata, had to stop the bleeding. In the back of her mind she heard a dull crunch behind her, but her attention was completely absorbed as she pressed her hands to her lover’s neck, desperately trying to stop the bleeding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renata gave her a weak smile. “You came. I knew you would if I could just hold on…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shhh…” Minnie chided her, hands shaking as the blood pooled past her fingers. “Don’t talk. You need to stay still,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t tell him anything. The secrets are safe,” Renata murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did well,” Minnie said, trying to keep her voice steady.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Minnie, I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just shut up for once, OK, Ren? For me? It’s my turn to talk,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renata acquiesced, her eyes searching Minnie’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was wrong to pull back. Wrong to push you and everyone else away. I was so fucking scared of what would happen if I let you in and here we are anyway,” She choked on the last statement, feeling tears begin to drift down her face, hot against her skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renata’s hand reached up, gripping Minnie’s forearm. It was slick with blood from the missing fingers, yet Renata clung on, her eyes sparkling fiercely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” Minnie whispered, feeling her heart break within her. “Do you hear me? I love you. Stay with me. Stay with me,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will,” A soft smile played across Renata’s lips. Her grip began to loosen though, fingers slipping from Minnie’s arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ren? Ren, no! You promised me! Please…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minnie felt a hand upon her shoulder. Sophie knelt down beside her, eyes glassy with tears. “All the Templars have been disposed of,” Her hands joined Minnie’s across Renata’s neck, trying to stop the bleeding. She looked down to Renata whose eyes were half lidded now, drifting in and out of consciousness. “You did well, Renata. Help is on the way. Just hold on,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Time seemed frozen within those moments that they waited together, watching Renata’s lifeblood seep through their fingers. At last another set of footsteps crossed the wooden floor. A bag was placed before them and Ruby began rifling through it, her voice calm and steady. “You three are doing great. Just keep that pressure steady. We’ll have this fixed in no time,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minnie simply nodded dumbly. Her hands remained firmly in place. It didn’t even feel like they were her own anymore. They couldn’t be. That would mean that all of this was real. They sat in silence as Ruby worked, unsure of how much time had passed, uncertain if this could even work. When Ruby directed them to move their hands, the twins shared a look of uncertainty before obeying. Now Minnie sat back on her heels, utterly lost. What now?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Minnie,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James. Her partner. Minnie’s head spun to see him standing before her, his eyes filled with pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jesse?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alive. Aasim took him back to base,” James’ eyes drifted over to where Renata lay, her body pale and limp. He couldn’t mask the fear inside of him. Kneeling beside his partner, James’ voice was soft. “Are you OK?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minnie felt a choked sob leave her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t need to say anything more. James’ arms came around her, holding her tightly. Her body shook as she sobbed against him, all control leaving her. The pain inside her wouldn’t ease. It just kept on coming, as if it would never stop. James helped her weather that storm, anchoring her to reality as he gently stroked her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were others in the room now too. Louis and Violet had arrived as well as Prisha and Clementine. Their faces were somber as they took in the gruesome scene. Marlon was here now as well. He held Sophie close in a tight hug, neither of them saying a word. The sight of dried blood on her sister’s hands made Minnie want to vomit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s still alive,” James whispered in Minnie’s ear. “Ruby wouldn’t still be working if she wasn’t,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sh-she said she’d stay,” Minnie murmured, her words coming out in a hiccup amidst her tears. “She promised me,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s good,” James’ smile was calming as he looked down at his partner. “Renata would never let herself lie to you,”</span>
</p><p>---</p><p>
  <br/>
  <span>Eventually Ruby declared that she had stopped the bleeding. Renata was alive, though not out of the woods. She wasn’t stable enough to transport to the base, so they placed a cot in the corner of the room and set about cleaning up the place. The bakery needed to be guarded regardless so most of them remained except for Clementine and Louis who headed back to base to join Brody, Mitch and Aasim in caring for Jesse. Violet and Prisha volunteered to keep watch on the roof of the bakery while Sophie and Marlon guarded the front entrance and James the back. Ruby stayed close by Renata’s side, monitoring her for any changes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minnie lay on the cot beside Renata, completely oblivious to all that was happening around her. Ruby had warned her not to shift Renata in any way so she lay a few inches from her, one hand holding Renata’s while the other ever so gently ran through her hair. “I love you,” she murmured, watching Renata’s face for any sign of consciousness. “I love you, I love you, I love you…” She whispered it again and again, praying that her words would get through to Renata and give her the strength she needed to pull through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The words were also an atonement, an apology for every time she had withheld them after Renata so freely said them herself. She’d been so patient with Minnie, so understanding, yet she hadn’t received those words until she lay bleeding out in Minnie’s arms. Renata deserved better than that. She deserved to hear those words a million times, every day for the rest of her life. Minnie would keep on saying them until she woke up. Sleep snuck up upon Minnie, gently pulling her into its warm grasp. Her declaration falling from her lips like a chant, Minnie whispered them one final time before succumbing herself. </span>
</p>
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